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Original poster

Are there any stores or companies you refuse to shop from or deal with?

544 replies

User1055 · 26/08/2021 10:26

As the thread title says - I have just decided to shop anywhere except a major high street electrical / computer company from now onwards after a couple of poor customer service issues. I shopped there from convenience, but I'm fed up with them now.
This got me thinking. I avoid any MLM, even though I really like some products I was given as a gift, and stores with poor ethics regarding production, worker treatment, etc.
Do you have any you actively avoid?

OP posts:
Zilla1 · 26/08/2021 12:27

HNRTT entirely but if this in MN, has no one mentioned the Daily Mail?

ShowOfHands · 26/08/2021 12:27

@Thewiseoneincognito you don't need to agree with previous posters but when somebody details a teenage girl not wanting to disrobe in an area occupied by a male, do you really think crying with laughter is an appropriate response. Even if you aren't a woman of a certain religion, an abuse survivor or somebody vulnerable, it's okay to say no simply because we are entitled to same sex spaces. Laughing at women trying to uphold legal rights does not paint you in a good light.

I refuse to give money to Starbucks, Lush, Body Shop, Wetherspoons, Nestle and the local sweet shop. In fact, I tend to shop solely in local independents or at the market/charity shops.

UnapologeticallyUnhinged · 26/08/2021 12:29

The wisdom is so incognito it doesn't actually exist.

ThatSunnyCorner · 26/08/2021 12:29

Lush
Body Shop
Starbucks
M & S unless they have changed their policy of allowing men into women's lingerie changing rooms
John Lewis ditto and for dreadful customer service
First Direct - despite them knowing I was unable to earn for several months due to a violent DV assault, they piled bank charge upon bank charge onto me (I had a small child at the time). They wouldnt budge and I will never forgive them.

ChickpeaCrunch · 26/08/2021 12:29

Those biscuits with Nazi links. Can't remember what they are called.

Dippydinosaurus · 26/08/2021 12:29

My children won't be going to guides/brownies/cubs when they're older. Their safeguarding policy is awful. Thanks to the feminism board for the heads up on that one

Antinerak · 26/08/2021 12:31

Most fast fashion stores i.e primark
And a few cafes and bakeries near me that are owned by a family who banned masks from their stores. They are all anti-vax and complete Karens.

Body Shop and Lush have gained a new faithful customer because of this thread though! It sounds like they're doing excellent work!

ChickpeaCrunch · 26/08/2021 12:31

Choco leibniz thats ir

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 26/08/2021 12:31

John Lewis.

They have been boycotted by Sheffield. The council made an agreement with them for 10 years, and paid them 3million quid to be the centre of a new shopping complex.

They closed the store after 3 years due to Covid despite being in the city for years and years. They were a landmark shop for about 80 years.

People are unhappy that they are now selling their stuff in the local Waitrose. I know Covid destroyed lots of stores. But they pulled out of a 3million quid 10 year agreement.

I was talking to several people last night. Lots of boycotts of JL hapkening

Letsgetquizzy · 26/08/2021 12:33

A local shoe shop after they refused to let then 3-year-old DS use their loo (for "H&S reasons" 2 years ago) meaning I had to lug him half way down the high street to another store loo resulting in a massive clean up operation (it wasn't a wee and I didn't quite make it).

Fortunately my sister was with me so could stay in the shop with the other DC otherwise I'd have also had to take the baby and my 5 & 7 year old daughters.

This year's school shoe shop has cost £500 😱. I am very tempted to write and point this out to them.

Tallpaulwho · 26/08/2021 12:34

Local waffle place that my DC love. Back when restrictions were easing in May, we went there for the first proper trip out since shielding ended (DC are CV). Waitress wasn't wearing a mask and stood and chatted loudly with a friend how they weren't vaccinated as only idiots got the jab.

Needless to say we won't be back ever.

I also avoid any shops that are openly political to one side or another. Usually by owners who don't think about the impact their views might have on their staff.

ThatSunnyCorner · 26/08/2021 12:34

🤣🤣 I wouldn’t be so trashy to open the door naked, also I don’t believe every male is a rapist or voyeur. 😉

Could you tell us how to identify which ones are rapists and voyeurs then, you know, just to help us when we're semi naked in a cubicle?

You might want to read the research paper on what happened in Target when men were allowed in women's changing rooms. Absolutely hilarious. Not.

hiplip · 26/08/2021 12:35

@MumofSpud yes I'm a member. I've never fed Felix but I do paid pet care and the cats who are on Felix and GoCat (also purina) regularly vomit after eating it.

LostThings · 26/08/2021 12:35

Pret a Manger

igelkott2021 · 26/08/2021 12:36

Our local village loves to bang on about shopping local, please shop independent etc and of course, they were all outraged when a large coffee chain established a site

I am not at all convinced by the "shop independent" thing. I find the chains are more accountable and they still offer local jobs.

BikeRunSki · 26/08/2021 12:36

@TheSquashyHatOfMrGnosspelius

Any company with adverts that are ridiculous, infantile or irritating. That's a lot of companies!
Goes without saying!
DameFanny · 26/08/2021 12:36

Absolutely do it @Letsgetquizzy - you might not get a response but they might make things easier for the next parent

UnapologeticallyUnhinged · 26/08/2021 12:37

@ThatSunnyCorner

🤣🤣 I wouldn’t be so trashy to open the door naked, also I don’t believe every male is a rapist or voyeur. 😉

Could you tell us how to identify which ones are rapists and voyeurs then, you know, just to help us when we're semi naked in a cubicle?

You might want to read the research paper on what happened in Target when men were allowed in women's changing rooms. Absolutely hilarious. Not.

THIS
Cottonheadedninymuggins · 26/08/2021 12:38

I don't avoid boots per say as in I do avoid a particular branch with an incredibly rude sales assistant who called me a liar when I went back the next day, after dinner when she'd told me the day before that a medicine would be delivered 10am that day for me. She turned it into a huge thing when she could have just said "sorry it didn't come on the delivery". But no... I was a liar, she never told me it'd be in on the 10am delivery at all! (she bloody did! I was with another person the day before who also said she had unprompted when i asked them out of interest if she'd heard what she said).

I also won't buy from mlms. Why would you pay £3456 for make up /jewellery/candles under pressure from a "friend" (aka a colleague, neighbour or school mum you're not keen on or someone you haven't seen for a decade who suddenly got back in touch, "hun!" worth £1?

I also refuse to buy anything from a particular electrics shop (small independent brand) because he parks his vans right on the corner of the street where his shop is, thus blocking the slopes for disabled people and prams etc and making it completely blind for both cars and people trying to cross/get up the small road. He's reported repeatedly by many people but by the time someone officially actually goes to witness it it hes finished for the day or not open (only works funny hours that chop and change ) . When challenged he threatens people loudly and tries to intimidate. Lovely man.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 26/08/2021 12:38

Local Morrisons for their extreme ineffiency. The time I had to queue half an hour to pay for shopping was the last straw. Not Covid or lockdown... there was only three people ahead of me when I joined the queue. It was fortunate DH was working from home as I would have been late picking DDs up from school (just 5 minutes, but still..)

They never had enough staff.

Asda or Lid now, despite being slightly further away... its so much quicker.

Malin52 · 26/08/2021 12:39

@Letsgetquizzy

A local shoe shop after they refused to let then 3-year-old DS use their loo (for "H&S reasons" 2 years ago) meaning I had to lug him half way down the high street to another store loo resulting in a massive clean up operation (it wasn't a wee and I didn't quite make it).

Fortunately my sister was with me so could stay in the shop with the other DC otherwise I'd have also had to take the baby and my 5 & 7 year old daughters.

This year's school shoe shop has cost £500 😱. I am very tempted to write and point this out to them.

I'm sorry that was your experience but most shops have tiny toilets only permitted for staff use. As a teenager working in a clothes shop I allowed a woman with child to use the staff loo thinking nothing of it and it was good customer service. The loo was up several flights of stairs past the cash office and stock rooms and I had a very severe reprimand and a misconduct note on my 'file'.

Please don't boycott them on that basis. They had no choice.

Cottonheadedninymuggins · 26/08/2021 12:40

Forgot one : refuse to shop at curry's /pc World after the delivery men made me feel so uncomfortable in my own home starting round at my stuff and sniggering to each other and whispering about things/people in my house (my obviously disabled grandparent with dementia) when dropping off a cooker about 6 years ago. Complained but not gone back since and won't again.

ichundich · 26/08/2021 12:41

Primark, Sports Direct, Iceland, Waitrose, M&S Food, Starbucks, MC Donald's, KFC, Subway, Pret, my local Dog's Trust charity shop (overpriced and poor customer service).

justasking111 · 26/08/2021 12:41

@user1471457354

Hiplip

Do you have a link to this as I can't find anything online regarding Felix food being recalled?

Got me worried too I thought Purina and Felix were okay
MonsignorMirth · 26/08/2021 12:42

Neal's Yard due to the homeopathic malaria "remedy" debacle and their refusal to answer questions on it.
Body Shop mocking JKRowling's account of domestic violence to shill their products.